Florencio told me to leave the front and back door light on, move one car to the driveway, and get the mail. I did everything he said quickly, eager to just lie with him. He comforted me. I wasn't sure how it happened, it just did. Everything else about him didn't matter.

Now with a packed bag, and in his car, I played with Florencio's hair.

"Something you want to tell me?" He asked, a small smile on his lips.

Yes.

My face turned red. "No. I don't." I shoved my hands in my sweater pockets, embarrassed. It's okay, Parker. He can't feel what's inside. He doesn't know your heart is on the verge of splitting.

"Felix is proposing to my mom," I spoke for the first time, forty minutes into our drive.

"How do you feel about it?" Florencio asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know. It's not right of me to be upset, but I feel like it's also not right to be happy."

Florencio grabbed my hand, kissed my knuckles.

I breathed out. "Never thought she'd leave, you know? I think I need her more than I want to admit."

He nodded, his other hand gripping the steering wheel tightly. "I understand the feeling." I never heard about Florencio's mom again, but I could only assume, he probably still sent her money. The experience of having a loving parent was taken from both of us.

When we reached his house, we brushed our teeth and got changed for bed. Something about watching Florencio get ready for bed was extremely attractive.

The scars he had on his body were attracting me. I

wondered if him calling him was a good idea. I wanted to jump his bones, not sleep. I gulped and bit my tongue hard to distract myself.

I must have made a face because Florencio stared at me.

"Did you bite your cheek?" He guessed.

Shaking my head I answered, "close. Tongue."

He smirked and laid down, pulled the covers over himself and turned away from me.

What the hell, Parker?

I crawled into bed, placed myself far away from him. I felt weird now.

Hands grabbed my waist and dragged me across the bed.

"Why are you all the way over there?" Florencio complained. "Just come here."

His leg trapped mine between his and his arms came around me.

I shifted, starting to sweat. His confirmation just added to the feeling I was trying to suppress.

His warm chest against mine caused my breast to react sinfully.

Florencio was smart. He knew exactly what was happening, so when he bit my shoulder and shushed me, I sighed.

"Florencio," I whispered. "Let go of me. It's hot." It was humiliating to be like this when he was just trying to sleep.

"No, honey." If anything his grip became tighter. "I had a long day. Really tired, need something to hold."

After a few minutes of hell, my body calmed down. I felt as though maybe I could sleep.

It was ruined when Florencio whispered in my ear, "I know it's hot."

-

I woke up and changed my clothes. Florencio didn't mention it, but he watched me as he sipped his coffee In the kitchen. His pure liquid sugar coffee. Oh, he was a jerk.

"I'm hungry," I announced from the kitchen counter I was sitting on.

"Me too," he agreed.

He knew what he did to me. "I'm too mad to cook."

An eyebrow quirked. "Yeah?" Placed the coffee cup down. He leaned on his elbows behind him, exposing his naked torso to me. "Anything I could do to help?"

I huffed.

"Parker," he cooed, coming up to me. He laughed as he kissed my cheeks. "I'll make breakfast. What do you want?"

My teeth gritted together painfully. "You're making me go insane."

"Really? Can't wait to see how you feel at the end of the week."

My eyes widened. A week? "You can't keep me here for that long."

He bit my cheek.

Ouch! Why did he like biting me all time?

"Who's car are you going to take? How are you going to leave?"

My eyes fell to my lap. I didn't mind staying here for that long, but he didn't need to know that. "I want pancakes."

The pancakes were actually really good and put me at ease.

"Do you feel better?" Florencio asked, no teasing in his voice.

I smiled. "Yeah." Florencio did exactly what I was expecting and smothered his pancakes in syrup. When he licked his lips, I immediately faltered.

What was happening? I was every stereotype I tired to avoid. A horny teenager.

I got up from the table and walked to Florencio. I grabbed his chin and waited a second, almost asking him if he wanted to kiss me too. When he closed his eyes, I pressed our lips together.

The syrup tasted better coming from him.

Florencio laughed against my mouth. I pulled back.

"Trying to eat me?" He sucked on my bottom lip. "I might beat you to it."

I swallowed hard. "I'll clean the dishes."

Me being here didn't stop Florencio from working and I did everything in my power to be ignorant to what he was doing.

Sam was over though and that made me feel okay.

"Why are you here, cutie?" He asked. He sat on the coffee table in front of me while I was on the couch.

I was scared and didn't want to be alone. "You know."

Sam grinned wolfishly and I regretted teasing. "I do. Sorry for a week ago now, was it? I really needed Florencio."

My breath caught in my throat. "Oh, um..." how was I supposed to respond?

"Sam!" Florencio emerged from the hallway. "Stop messing with her."

Thank God.

Florencio looked at me, his eyes heavy. I wanted to take that look away.

"We'll be back."

I nodded.

He leaned down and kissed me softly and left with Sam to God knows where.

It was late in the afternoon now, sun was setting, when my mom texted me.

It was a picture of her and Felix at dinner. Their smiles were big. A few more pictures of hiking trails that the did and that was it.

"What am I supposed to do with these?" I muttered to myself bitterly. I tried to place myself in Felix's shoes. He must be so excited that he found his wife. His forever.

I blinked quickly to get rid of the moisture that was building.

-

In the midst of my boredom, I made dinner. Well, a sandwich. When the front door opened, I remembered I made nothing for Florencio.

Did he eat? Do I care? Yes. I did because I...

"What are you doing?" He asked me, sitting next to me on the couch.

The tv wasn't on but I had my phone in my lap. I didn't mention the empty plate in front of me, figuring he'd piece it together.

"I was playing games on my phone," I said lamely.

"Are you mad I left you here?"

I cleared my throat, sat up straighter. "Should I be?"

He bumped his knee with mine. "You were angry earlier."

I flushed. "Not for being alone."

That made him laugh so hard, he fell back on the couch. He threw his arm over his face.

I punched his leg. "Shut up. Now I'm annoyed, jerk."

He sat up and tried to kiss me. I stuck my chin up, jabbing his eye with my chin.

"Ow, shit," he groaned, rubbing his eye. "Okay, I'm sorry."

Now I was laughing. "I think you're fine. Can I kiss it better?"

He opened his eyes hesitantly. "Why do you hate my eyes? This is your second time trying to poke them out."

"They're too pretty," I excused. "I can't stand looking at them."

"Maybe I can give you a different view," he suggested, biting my chin.

I purposely tried to poke his eye now. "Stop doing that!"

He grabbed my hand and forcefully shoved my fingers in his mouth, biting those too.

"I'm trying to get rid of things you've used to try and kill me."

"Then I'd have to take out your teeth. It'd be the fair thing to do." I climbed on top of him, pulling his full lips into a smile. He had such nice teeth. I was jealous I had to go through four years of braces for my teeth to look nothing like his.

Florencio made up for rough handling by kissing my fingers now. "I am sorry I made you wait."

"Are you hungry?" I changed the subject. I wasn't mad, I wish he'd just drop it.

He laughed again and I didn't understand why.

"Are you tired?" I asked, confused. He was looking at me weirdly now.

"Not really." His glimmered.

This was it, every conversation, every look, feeling, dissipated.

"Oh, um, I am." My god, you wimp.

"Are you sure? We could do something fun."

"Florencio—"

"Parker. I'm not going to hurt you. Have you seen my backyard? It's big and green. Did you know I have a jacuzzi?"

My nose scrunched up. "You do not."

He looked up at me bashfully. "No, I don't."

"Can I still kiss you?" He asked.

I smiled and leaned forward.

-